Combination wire stripping and cutting device

ABSTRACT

A WIRE STRIPPING AND CUTTING DEVICE CONFINED IN THE HANDLE PORTION OF A TOOL COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES HAVING SHARPENED INSERTS FOR STRIPPING INSULATION FROM ELECTRICAL WIRES OF DIFFERENT GAUGES AND INCLUDING A PIVOTED WIRE CUTTING MEANS DISPOSED AT ONE END WITH THE HANDLE PORTION THEREOF USEFUL AS A POCKET CLIP FOR ATTACHMENT OF THE DEVICE TO A GARMENT POCKET.

Sept. 28, 1971 FREED 3,508,401

COMBINATION WIRE STRIPPING AND CUTTING DEVICE Filed May 26, 1969 INVENTOR MARVIN J- FREED ATTO RNEYS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 81-9.5R 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wire stripping and cutting device confined in the handle portion of a tool comprising a plurality of apertures having sharpened inserts for stripping insulation from electrical wires of different gauges and including a pivoted cutting wire means disposed at one end with the handle portion thereof useful as a pocket clip for attachment of the device to a garment pocket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (I) Field of the invention The invention relates to an electricians tool, and more particularly to a combination wire stripping and cutting device to strip the insulation from electrical wires and to cut the wire core.

(II) Description of the prior art Wire stripping devices are known in the art, which are constructed with apertures having cutting edges forming a slot in which a wider portion of the aperture permits the extension of an electrical wire therethrough and a narrower slot portion is adapted to strip the insulation from the wire. It is also known to provide these wire stripping devices with a cutting knife having a cutting edge for cutting through the wire core.

To provide a more useful tool, it has been proposed to combine a stripping device with a hand tool which is frequently used by electricians. Thus, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,848,914, a wire stripping device is shown incorporated in the handle portion of a tool, such as a screw driver. The device of this patent does not, however, include a cutter means for cutting the wire core, which is most frequently found to be necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved combination wire stripper and cutting device incorporated in an ordinary work tool, such as a screw driver or the like, and having means to conveniently carry and secure the device in the pocket of the 'workmans garment in a fashion similar to the carrying of a pen so that the device will always be easily available for use and will not be mislaid or mistaken for an ordinary tool.

The present novel device as herein disclosed by way of illustration is embodied in the handle of a tool, such as a screw driver, or the like, which is frequently used by the Workman. The handle contains a stripper plate having a plurality of stripping apertures which coincide with corresponding apertures or passages through the handle for the passage of the wire therethrough. The handle of the tool is further provided with a pivotal cutting knife which is attached to or integral with a lever extending outwardly alongside the handle of the tool. The knife lever is conveniently used as a pocket clip to secure the device in the shirt pocket or any other pocket of the users garment in a fashion similar to the pocket securement of a common writing pen.

The invention will be best understood by reference to Patented Sept. 28, 1971 the following detailed specification describing a preferred embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, forming a part of the detailed specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment in which:

'FIG. 1 shows the present novel device attached within the pocket of the users garment;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the present novel device shown for illustrative purpose as a combination screw driver and wire stripper and cut-off device;

FIG. 3 is a still further enlarged fragmentary view of the handle portion of the device shown in FIG. 1, shown in cross section with the cutting knife in closed position;

FIG. 3a is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the cutting knife in an open position;

FIG. 4 is a further cross section through the handle portion of the device in FIG. 2 as seen along line 4-4 thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross section through the upper portion of the handle of the tool shown in FIG. 2 as seen along line 55 thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a users garment 10, provided with a pocket 12 which is here shown as an outside coat pocket, adapted to receive therein the present novel device 14, which is attached thereto by means of a pocket clip 16.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the present novel device 14 is illustrated as a workmans tool such as a screw driver having a handle 18 to which is attached a shank 20, which at its end is formed into the usual screw driving blade 22. It should be understood that the illustration herein of a screw driver is only by way of example, since any other hand tool useful in the trade and having a handle portion may be substituted for the screw driver 14 shown.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 3a and 4, the handle 18, which is preferably molded from a synthetic material, contains a flat stripper blade 24 disposed lengthwise therein, which may be conveniently molded in place during molding of the handle. The stripper plate 24 is of steel and provided with a plurality of apertures 26, 28 and 30, each of which comprises an enlarged portion 32 and a narrower slot portion 34 extending from the enlarged portion. The narrow slot portions 34 are of diiferent widths to accommodate wires having differing thickness of insulation. As will be explained further on, the enlarged portions 32 permit the free passage of the wire therethrough, whereas the sides of the narrower slot portions 34 comprise stripping edges to strip the insulation from electrical wires.

As seen in FIG. 2, one side of the handle 18 is provided with a plurality of linearly disposed longitudinal apertures 36 corresponding in number to the number of apertures in the stripper plate and communicating therewith. The apertures 36 in the handle are tapered slightly inwardly as seen in FIG. 4 for a purpose to appear. With still further reference to FIG. 4, the opposite side of the handle 18 is provided with linearly disposed oblong or elliptically shaped apertures 38, which correspond likewise in number to the apertures of the stripper plate 24, with which they intersect so that each aperture of the internal stripper plate opens outwardly through the oppositely disposed handle apertures 36-38 to provide a passage for the wire 40 therethrough, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

As clearly seen in FIG. 4, the elliptical apertures 38 are disposed at an angle relative to the plane of the stripper plate 24 and to the tapered apertures 36. The electrical wire 40 has a current carrying core 41, which is covered with a protective and insulating sheathing 42, which may be made of rubber, plastic, tar paper, textile material or the like, as is commonly used in electrical wires. In order to strip the insulation 42 from the core 41, the wire 40 is introduced through any appropriate tapered aperture 36 at one side of the handle 18 and through the enlarged portion 32 of the corresponding stripper plate aperture 28, from which the wire exits upwardly out of the other side of the handle through the elliptical aperture 38. Due to the inclined position of the elliptical aperture 38, the wire 40 when pulled out of the handle 18 is drawn upwardly against the slot portion 34 of the stripper plate aperture, which slot portion provides opposite cutting edges which bite into the insulation of the wire to thereby strip the insulation and expose the current carrying core 41. Depending on the diameter of the core of the wire 40 a slot portion 34 of appropriate width will be chosen.

In most instances, such as in making repairs, new connections, resplicings or the like, certain portions of the current carrying wire core 41 have to be cut off, and to facilitate the cutting of the wire core, the present device is provided with the following novel cutting mechanism:

The upper portion of the handle 18 is split lengthwise for a short distance to provide an axial slot 44 disposed in a plane which is slightly laterally offset from the plane in which the stripper plate 24 is located so as not to interfere with it. The axial slot 44 is intersected at a right angle and parallel to the stripper plate by a recess 46 of appropriate width.

Positioned within the axial slot 44 of the handle end is a stationary knife member 48, which is composed of a plate having a semicircularly recessed lower end 50, which is adapted to fit over a circular button 52 integrally provided within the handle at the bottom of the slot for accurate location of theknife. The stationary knife member 48 is retained against movement within a fiat recess 54 provided along one side of the slot 44, as seen in FIG. 5, and is provided with a recessed cutting edge 56 located centrally within the recess 46.

A pivotal cutting knife 58 is attached to the stationary knife by means of a pin 60, substantially centrally thereof for extension through and within the axial slot 44 for pivoting movement therein. One end of the pivotal knife 58 is provided with a cutting edge 62, which upon pivoting of the knife traverses the recess 46 for cooperation with the opposite stationary cutting edge 56 to cut off a length of the wire core 41 placed within the recess 46, as shown in FIG. 3a.

The opposite end of the pivotal cutting knife extends outwardly of the slot 44 and is formed into a lever 64 extending downwardly alongside the handle portion 18 by which the pivotal cutting knife 58 is manipulated for the cutting operation, which is as follows:

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 3a, in order to cut the previously stripped core 41 of the wire 40, the lever 64 is moved away from the handle 18, as indicated 'by the arrow in FIG. 3, to pivot the knife 58 from a normally closed position shown in FIG. 3 to the open position shown in FIG. 3a to permit the insertion of the wire core 41 within the recess 46 for extension between the two opposite cutting edges 56 and 52. Thereafter, the lever 64 is clamped down upon the handle 18 causing the cutting edge 62 to pivot around towards the stationary cutting edge 56 and thereby severing the 'wire core 41.

As mentioned previously, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, the lever 64 constitutes a convenient pocket clip 16 for insertion of the device in the pocket 12 and securement thereto.

It is apparent from the foregoing description taken in connection with the appended drawings that by means of the present invention a multi-purpose tool has been provided which can be used as an ordinary tool, such as a screw driver, and has means incorporated therein for stripping of electrical wires which may have various core di ameters. Additionally, the present device is provided with a novel cut off means which is constructed in a novel manner to serve a two-fold purpose of cutting the wire core and providing a secure attachment of the device within the pocket of a garment worn by the user.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A combination wire stripping and cut-off device comprising a screwdriver having an elongated handle portion, stripping means comprising a plate axially disposed within said handle portion, said plate being provided with a plurality of apertures having portions defining cutting edges, a first group of apertures formed along the length of said handle portion at a first side thereof communicating with said apertures of said plate at one side thereof, a second group of apertures formed along the length of the handle at the opposite side of said handle portion communicating with said apertures and said plate at the other side thereof so that each of the respective apertures of said first group and said second group communicating with the same aperture in said plate form a channel extending through said handle for the extension of a Wire therethrough to strip the sheath off said wire by means of said cutting edges associated with said apertures in said plates, and a wire cutting means including a slot in said handle portion, a recess in said handle portion intersecting said slot for the insertion of a wire therein, a first knife member supported within said slot, a second knife member tiltably secured to said first knife member within said slot, said first and second knife members having opposed cutting edges disposed Within said recess, an elongated straight lever attached to said second knife member and supported for pivotable movement of the cutting edges of said second knife toward and away from said first knife member, said lever lying parallel to and adjacent to a side of said handle intermediate to said one side and said opposite side at such time as the cutting edges of said second member are immediately adjacent to said cut ting edges of said first knife member so as to form a pocket clip for said device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,544,784 3/1951 Frum 714.1X 2,848,914 8/1958 Gottfried 819.5(C) 3,253,286 5/1966 Bacon 7-l41.1

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner R. V. PARKER, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 7-l4.1 

